Transcript Slavery, Sectionalism and Manifest Destiny

Slavery, Sectionalism and
Manifest Destiny
1820-1860
The South and the Slavery
Controversy
Chapter 16
I. Cotton is King
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After Revolution slavery faced an uncertain
future, it was logical to think slavery would fade
away
Invention of the cotton gin in 1793 changed that
Cotton became dominant crop in the south,
created demand for labor and land
Quick profits from cotton drew planters to the
Gulf South during this time
Caused economic spiral more cotton = more
slaves, if you had more slaves you could buy
more land
Northern shippers profited from cotton trade
They shipped it to England
Largest American export after 1840 (1/2 of
world’s supply)
Southern leaders knew that cotton production
was something they could hold over heads of
British
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Cotton and Slaves 1820 and 1860
II. The Planter Aristocracy
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South was a society run be elite wealthy
planters
Very few owned large amount of slaves
They had tremendous wealth, send
children to schools outside of south
(kept public education from gaining
foothold)
Had a sense of duty to the public
Dominance by planters caused a huge gap
between rich and poor
Society almost feudal (lords, manors and
serfs)
Shaped the lives of women, they managed
the house and the slave staff, most did
not support abolition
III. Slaves and the Slave System
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Search for quick profit led to over cultivation and
degradation of the environment
Those that could not make it headed West and North
(Butternuts)
Economic structure became monopolistic, land owners
concentrated their holdings and bought out small farmers
Land hunger led to over speculation of lands, heavy
investment in slaves caused crushing debt for many
planters
Dependence on one crop put South at the mercy of the
world markets, caused lack of economic diversity that
effect region well into the 20th century
Resentment of the northern bankers, middlemen,
businessmen intensified as they grew rich off Southern
cotton and made profits selling manufactured goods to the
South
Slaves and high land prices kept out European immigrants,
South had little ethnic diversity
IV. The White Majority
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1/4 of families owned slaves
Typically small farmers (more like
Midwestern or Northern farmers)
Many owned no slaves at all, they were
subsistence farmers (raised corn, hogs)
and lived isolated lives
Had no direct stake in slave system but
supported it because there was
somebody on the social ladder lower
than them
Mountain whites in Appalachia disliked
blacks and masters and provided
strong Union support in the South
during the Civil War
IV. Free Blacks: Slaves Without Masters
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Free blacks in the Upper South (MD,VA, NC) traced origins
to Revolution
Lower South most free were mulattoes, some purchased
freedom
New Orleans had sizeable free, mulatto community
Seen a third race, could not hold certain occupations, vote
In the North some states would not let them live there,
could not attend public schools, competed with Irish for
menial jobs
Spread of slavery in new territory grew out of prejudice
not humanitarianism
V. Plantation Slavery
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Number of slaves grew during first half of
1800’s
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King Cotton demanded tribute in slave labor
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Some smuggled into country (made illegal
1808), most growth due to natural increase
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Slaves planters biggest asset and they were
treated like investments (for the most part)
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Cotton boom sucked slaves from Upper to
Lower South
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Some states had majority African American
populations
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Slaves sold at auction, sometimes for
bankruptcy
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Led to breakup of families, became theme for
Harriet Beecher Stowe and Uncle Tom’s Cabin
VI. Life Under the Lash
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Conditions for slaves varied from region to
region
No slaves had civil or political rights, no
labor rights
Beatings and threat of beating substituted
for wage-incentive system
Masters were never too harsh because of
investment
1860 most slaves concentrated in “black
belt” across Deep South
Region was southern frontier, life was
rougher than Upper South
Majority lived on plantations
VI. Life Under the Lash
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Slaves managed to maintain family life
Kept some African traditions in marriage, descent, religion
Religion was mixture of Christian and African traditions
Focused on themes of persecution in the Bible
Call and response preaching adaptation of caller and dancers
from West African traditions
VII. The Burdens of Bondage
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Slavery denied education, did not want them to get new ideas,
question position
Slaves struck back by slowing the pace of work, sabotaging
equipment, took goods they produced
All wanted freedom, some ran away
Armed rebellion never worked
1800 Gabriel Prosser(Richmond,VA), 1822 Denmark Vesey
(Charleston, SC), 1831 Nat Turner
All failed, all were hung or were killed
White southerners felt like they were under siege (rebellions,
abolitionist propaganda) developed theory of superiority over
blacks
American South was one of the world’s last bastions of slavery
VIII. Early Abolitionism
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First anti slavery societies appeared after
Revolution, main support among Quakers
Earliest efforts were to send blacks back to
Africa
1822- American Colonization Society, founded
Liberia in West Africa- 15,000 went
Most slaves did not see themselves as Africans
1830’s slavery becomes moral crusade because
of Second Great Awakening
1833 –British abolish slavery in West Indies
Slavery became a sin
Theodore Weld and “Lane Rebels” preached
anti-slavery gospel across Old Northwest
IX. Radical Abolitionism
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1831- William Lloyd Garrison publishes first issue of The
Liberator, a militantly anti slavery newspaper based in
Boston
1833- American Antislavery society founded
Black Abolitionists – David Walker (promoted bloody end
to slavery), Sojourner Truth (advocate for emancipation
and women’s rights)
Fredrick Douglass – best known black abolitionist,
escaped slave
Wrote Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass, detailed his
early life and escape
IX. Radical Abolitionism
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Differences between Garrison and Douglass
Garrison known as inflexible, self righteous,
impractical
Provided no alternative to country without slavery
Denounced politics
Many abolitionist questioned the role of women
(Garrison supported women)
Douglass- used politics to end slavery
New political parties emerge in 1840’s based on
abolition of slavery
Liberty Party (1840), Free Soil Party (1848),
Republican Party (1850’s)
X. The South Lashes Back
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Before 1830’s some antislavery sentiment in
the south
1831 publication of Liberator, Nat Turner
Rebellion, Nullification Crisis of 1832
All turned tide in South
White southerners saw threat to way of life,
began to defend slavery
Justifications- supported by Bible, good
for civilization depraved Africans, masterslave relationship was like a family
(contrasted with industrial wage earners in
northern factories)
1836 Southerners in House pass Gag
Resolution, tables all debate on slavery
(defied by John Quincy Adams)
Postmasters given permission to destroy
abolitionist material across South
Widened gap between north and south
XI. Abolitionist Impact in the North
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Abolitionists unpopular in many parts of the north
Seen as too radical
Heavy economic stake in south; cotton production for
factories, money owed to northern banks
Abolitionists seen as rocking the boat
Mobs attacked abolitionists
By 1850’s issue of territorial expansion, other factors put
many in north on side of abolitionists
Manifest Destiny and Its Legacy
Chapter 17
Gone to Texas
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Americans want Texas, remote backwater of Spanish Empire
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US abandoned claim in 1819
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1823- new Mexican government gives land to Stephen
Austin to bring settlers
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2 conditions settlers had to become Mexican citizens,
become Catholic
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Ignored by settlers, annoyed by presence of Mexican soldiers
and government
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Settlers typical American individualist, did not want to be
pushed around
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Slavery an issue, outlawed in Mex., settlers brought slaves
anyway
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1836 Mex. Leader Santa Ana attempts to repress Texans
independence
The Lone Star Rebellion
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Early 1836 Texans declare independence
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Santa Anna attacks Alamo and Goliad become
rallying cries for Texans, galvanized Americans
behind Texas cause
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Gen. Sam Houston lures Mexicans east to San
Jacinto (near present day Houston), and
defeats Santa Anna
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Forces Santa Anna to sign treaty giving land to
Rio Grande to Texas and removing troops
from region
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Mex. Does not recognize agreement
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Texas becomes an independent republic but
wanted to be part of the United States
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Refused admission, abolitionists did want new
slave state
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Seen as a plot against slavery to Southerners
I. The Accession of “Tyler Too”
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1840’s territorial expansion dominated
politics, diplomacy
War with Mexico, gained territory
from Texas to California and questions
of status of slavery
1841 William Henry Harrison (Whig)
elected and died in office
Real leaders of Whigs Clay, Webster
tried to push agenda, thwarted by John
Tyler (VP, now president)
Tyler supporter of states rights
Clay and others tried to push
nationalistic political agenda
Whigs pushed for new bank, tariffs; all
vetoed by Tyler
II. War of Words with Britain
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British looked down on
Americans, increased tension
with America
Americans borrowed extensively
from British banks (many
defaulted on loans during Panic of
1837)
1837 Caroline incident with
Canada, 1841 slaves offered
asylum in Bahamas (southern fear
of Caribbean becoming haven for
escaped slaves), 1842 border
disputes in Maine (settled by
Webster- Ashburton Treaty)
III. Texas and Oregon
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1836- Texas achieves independence, not recognized by Mexico
 Britain, France interested in Texas as place for cotton
production, check American power
 Texas as independent nation threatened US
 Presidential campaign 1844 issue of expansion
 Texas annexed by joint resolution of Congress 1844
 James K. Polk won election on expansion platform
 Texas became state 1845
Oregon
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enormous wilderness
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Claimed by many different countries until 1825, then only US
and Britain
British claims based on occupation
American claims based on exploration and occupation
1830’s American missionaries settle Willamette Valley,
stimulates interest of Americans
1840’s number of Americans increases, came over Oregon Trail
British had few settlers, weaker claim than Americans
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IV. Manifest Destiny and the Election of 1844
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Election of 1844 between Henry Clay and
James Polk
Major election issue Manifest Destiny
Feeling that America’s duty was to spread
ideals of democracy across continent (idea of
expansion and liberty)
Expansion ignored national boundaries, came
at the expense of others
Expansionist Democrats won election felt they
had a mandate to take Texas and Oregon
New President James K. Polk had 4 point
program – lower tariff, create independent
treasury, acquire Oregon and California
1846 US and Britain compromise on Oregon
territory border (dying fur trade made British
lose interest in Oregon)
V. War with Mexico
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Americans wanted San Francisco and San Diego
Bays as ports on Pacific and to expand American
trade to Asia
Americans saw weakness in Mexican control of
borderlands
Polk eager to buy California, Mexicans would not
sell
Wanted California to balance admission of Texas
with a free state
US/Mexico issues over boundary of Texas
Mexican claim was boundary at Nueces River,
American claim was Rio Grande
Rumors of British wanting to purchase California,
could not be tolerated under Monroe doctrine
1846 Polk sends troops to Texas, march from
Nueces River to Rio Grande
April 1846 US soldiers killed and Polk asks for
war, Congress overwhelmingly supports it
V. War with Mexico
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Many northerners and Whigs saw this as a land grab and war for extension of slavery
Lincoln (then Rep. from Illinois) pushes “spot resolutions” to show where blood was shed
on American soil
Both sides wanted war, America to teach Mexicans a lesson, Mexicans saw US a bully to
the north
South and West supported war
The US unprepared for the war. Ill equipped volunteers filled the American army
Advantages over the Mexican military that had outdated equipment and little motivation
to fight.
American industrial base to prepare and equip an army, superior leadership
United States won easily over the Mexican forces in 1847
California- John Fremont led a revolt against Mexican rule and declared the state “The
Bear Flag Republic”
V. War with Mexico
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1848- War ended with Treaty of Guadalupe
Hidalgo
Gave US vast new territory, paid Mexico $15
million dollars for land
Many Americans thought that US should not
stop with Mexico
European countries had new respect for
American military
The Mexican American War was a blatant war of
conquest that would have occurred through
migration eventually
The war also trained the next generation of
generals (Lee, Grant) to fight America’s next war
– the Civil War
Turning point in US relations with Latin America,
became suspicious of “Colossus of the North”
War aroused issue of slavery and its expansion
1846- David Wilmot tries to introduce
amendment that slavery should not exist in new
territory, never passed the Senate but
symbolized issue of slavery in territories
(Wilmot Proviso)